Earthquakes in Sulmona
Seismic activity in the surroundings
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.
How seismic is this area?
The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
Official Civil Protection classification (upd. 2025), used for building codes.
Hazard describes the long-term expected shaking: it is not a forecast. Technical value: ag = 0.256 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Sulmona plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Sulmona
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Sulmona over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1987VI3 July 1987
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Costa Marchigiana earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 126 km away
- 1984VI11 May 1984
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 46 km away
- 1984VI-VII7 May 1984
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 46 km away
- 1980V-VI9 June 1980
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Aquilano earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 20 km away
- 1933VIII26 September 1933
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Maiella earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 16 km away
- 1915VIII13 January 1915
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 31 km away
- 1905VII25 August 1905
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valle Peligna earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 12 km away
- 1901VI31 July 1901
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sorano earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 40 km away
- 1706IX-X3 November 1706
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Maiella earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 15 km away
- 1706IX3 November 1706
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Maiella earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 15 km away · observed at Badia Morronese
- 1703VI-VII14 January 1703
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valnerina earthquake (M6.9), epicentre 99 km away
- 1456VIII5 December 1456
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Appennino centro-meridionale earthquake (M7.2), epicentre 108 km away
…and 57 more documented effects in this town's history.
Source: Italian Macroseismic Database DBMI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The great earthquakes in this area's history
Almost a thousand years of catalogues: the strongest documented events within ~50 km.
Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The closest seismic structure
The town sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.
Faults are mapped to build better and understand the territory: knowing them says nothing about when an earthquake will occur, which remains unpredictable. Source: DISS 3.3 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
Area over time
Earthquake map
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Sulmona is about average for its province in recorded quakes.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of L'Aquila48 events · 30gAbruzzo region76 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Sulmona?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Sulmona area: the latest nearby dates back to 12 days ago.
Is Sulmona a seismic area?
Sulmona is classified in seismic zone 1 by the Civil Protection. The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
What was the strongest earthquake near Sulmona?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Sulmona was magnitude 3.2, in 2022.
When was the last quake near Sulmona?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Sulmona was 9 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)